Chapter 362 - A Chaotic Night (2/2)
No one knew who spread the rumor that an extraordinary treasure from the previous Cultivation Era was about to appear in Wuyin Monastery. The treasure was said to contain the secret to the destruction of the last era. Some even said that those who obtain the treasure would get the world, command the outstanding heroes of the world, and demand absolute loyalty from them.
The sudden chaos summoned countless independent cultivators from all over the world to Huai Prefecture. There were even those from the Demon Race among them. The Reminiscence Town was so packed that not even one drop could trickle through. Every tavern was full, including those in several neighboring towns. Many people set up tents under the Karmaless Mountain to watch the emergence of the extraordinary treasure.
Of course, there were scores of cultivators whose verbal disagreements erupt into brawls. Every day, blood would spill. It put everyone else in deep unease. Commoners kept their doors and windows tightly closed, not daring to step out of their houses. Many monks of Wuyin Monastery also came down from the mountain to quell the rumors, but their efforts were in vain.
Days slipped past. More and more people gathered at Reminiscence Town. By the time the ninth day rolled around, it was the fifteenth day of the third month, a day with a gentle breeze and a bright moon. The radiance from the luminous moon spanned a thousand miles, stretching boundlessly on. Flames flickered on the Karmaless Mountain in tight, uncountable clusters.
“The extraordinary treasure is going to emerge tonight! Who knows, the truth behind the end of the previous era may be unveiled tonight!” someone in the crowd yelled.
One person relayed this piece of news to ten, ten to a hundred until a commotion rippled throughout the Karmaless Mountain. Countless men started running up to Wuyin Monastery, either on their flying swords or beast mounts. The monastery was fated to have a restless night. No monk there was asleep, and neither was anyone hitting the Chinese temple block. All of them guarded the entrance of the Daxiong Hall with Dharma rods in their hands, afraid that the mob would destroy their thousand-year-old monastery.
More and more ran up the mountain, making unending clamor. Many tried to take advantage of the crisis to steal scriptures and cultivation methods from the Scriptures Hall. Out of the four Great Divine Monks, only Xuangui, Xuanji, and Xuanle remained. The one with the highest Dharma cultivation, Abbot Xuantong, was still recovering in seclusion after being tainted by the devil a year ago.
“Monks! Hurry up and hand over the extraordinary treasure! That’s considered a heritage of the previous Era! Your Wuyin Monastery shouldn’t dream of keeping it to yourselves!”
“It’s said that followers of Buddha must give up greed, anger, and obsession. How can you monks hog the extraordinary treasure! Hurry up and hand it over!”
“You monks are so shameless! We want to take a look, not take a blade of grass from your monastery! How can you be so miserly?”
The impassioned mob made a ruckus as more and more people joined them on the mountain. Master Xuanji put his hands together. “Amitabha. That’s good enough. I ask that all benefactors here do not trust the rumors you hear. Monks are not liars. There is no extraordinary treasure that you speak of here…”
“You big-eared monk! You’re sure full of nonsense! We saw with our own eyes how an auspicious sign descended on the Karmaless Mountain a few days ago! How can it be fake?”
“Exactly, exactly! Monks! Hurry up and show everyone the extraordinary treasure!”
The clamor refused to die down as everyone became even more agitated. Xuanji exchanged looks with his fellow two Divine Monks. The minor monks behind them gripped their Dharma rods even tighter, their guard raised. They couldn’t step forward and expel these people, for they weren’t Taoist cultivation sects. Followers of Buddha must show courtesy to people with an open heart. In particular, there were so many of them here. In the event of a conflict and shedding of blood, they would genuinely have committed the greatest sin.
Suddenly, the Big Dipper in the sky moved, and the bright moon gradually ascended to the culmination point. A pillar of light descended, shrouding the monastery’s rear mountain. The crowd immediately cried out in surprise. “The extraordinary treasure is here! The extraordinary treasure is here! On the rear mountain! Everyone, let’s go and take a look!”
A commotion broke out in the crowd as everyone frantically ran toward the rear mountain. Countless men also made their way over on their flying swords. Master Xuanji was alarmed. “Oh, no! It’s the Devil Repressing Tower!” He turned to Xuangui and Xuanle and said, “Senior Brother, Junior Brother, guard this place. I’m going to the Devil Repressing Tower!” He immediately transformed into a golden light and flew toward the rear mountain.
Noises and flickering flames filled the entire Karmaless Mountain. Right now, two stood firmly on a tree crown on the top of a mountain ten miles away. Their clothes rustled in the wind. One of them wore a purple-white long gown and a purple-golden gourd around the waist. His pupils were as red as fire. The other had a carved feather fan in hand. His face was as delicate as a piece of white jade, and his clothes were so pristine that they seemed untouched by dust.
“Brother None-flower, this Magnificent Moonlight deserves its reputation indeed. To think it can gather moonlight.”
“Haha! Then, Red-eyed, how do you plan on thanking me?”
“Forget the thanks. I think it’s time to make our move. Watch out for the janitor monk under the tower.”
The two of them propelled themselves forward on their toes and instantly vanished into thin air, leaving behind only several leaves floating in the air.
Right now, the demons had gathered on the second floor of the Devil Repressing Tower. This included the thousand-year-old Tree Demon, the Nightshade King, Old Demon of the Black Mountain, a few other old monsters, and the smaller demons. With Xiao Chen as the leader, the group of demons merged their powers and concentrated it on one spot.
The clamor outside was gradually getting louder, and the entire tower was beginning to rock as well. The howling of countless vicious devils underground erupted. “Let me out! Let me out…”
The Siberian weasel demon was startled. He got so frightened that his legs began trembling. In a shaking voice, he said, “Bad news, Great Immortal Xiao! Did those damned monks find out? The old monk outside is a terrifying force…”
Frowning, Xiao Chen refocused his attention. “Don’t panic! Right now, we can’t withdraw the demon power, or everything will be in vain!” He pressed two fingers together and increased the output of his True Energy, focusing a light beam at the stone wall in front of him.
He, Nightshade King, and the Old Demon of the Black Mountain were the strongest ones here. The other demons would only be useful if they merged their powers and direct it at the stone wall.
It was right at this moment that Xiao Chen detected a very familiar aura.